July 31, 2006

Amarillo by morningUp from San AntoneEverything that I gotIs just what I've got onWhen that sun is high In that Texas skyI'll be bucking at the county fairAmarillo by morningAmarillo I'll be there

They took my saddle in HoustonBroke my leg in Sante FeLost my wife and a girlfriendSomewhere along the wayWell I'll be looking for eightWhen they pull that gateAnd I hope that Judge ain't blindAmarillo by morningAmarillo's on my mind

Amarillo by morningUp from San AntoneEverything that I gotIs just what I've got onI ain't got a dimeBut what I got is mineI ain't richBut Lord I'm freeAmarillo by morningAmarillo's where I'll be

I don't remember watching much of Miami Vice when it was on television. I do remember everyone running around in topsiders and pastel t-shirts, some even brave enough to wear white linen pants and jackets. But for the most part the show was too gritty for me. Imagine that!

One of the weekly UFO newspapers even had a scoop during the show's run that a major change was to take affect. Instead of the pastels and whites, the cast would be sporting more rustic colored outfits, this of course because at the time, Banana Republic was making a big splash on the fashion scene.Needless to say that never happened.

Miami Vice the movie is something I went to see not so much because I was a fan of the series, or that the trailers looked good. In fact, I thought the trailers looked pretty standard. But see it I did, and I'm actually happy about that.

The movie starts out fast and really only slows down a couple of times to let the audience catch its breath. But then it's back to full speed. No beginning credits allow the viewer to jump right into the action. And Michael Mann does a pretty good job of keeping the audience on the edge of their seats.

While I appreciate Mann, sometimes his direction is too "artsy" for me. He seems to spend more time worrying about an angle or shot and less about getting the story from point a to point b. This almost happens in Vice.

Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrel are accomplished actors. But they almost seem melodramatic in their first scenes, to the point where I thought the film would be unwatchable if this type of overacting continued. Luckily it didn't.

As would be expected, Mann makes good use of music and lighting. But instead of pop tracks and neon, he uses a very effective score by Klaus Badelt, Mark Batson, John Murphy and Organized Noize to bolder an already high energy film.

And Mann's use of color is best displayed by the rich hues of a cloud filled sky, Miami at sunset and distant thunder that looks inviting while, at the same time, ominous.

I like Michael Mann as a director, though sometimes he's a little too heavy handed for me. On
, however, he seems to rein it in a bit. It's still a film with lots of shooting, gruesome deaths and it's fair share of explosions. But he deals with it all in the context of telling a story and that makes it seem a little less gratuitous.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the movie. I don't know that there's a franchise to be had here, but if there is a Miami Vice 2, I'll probably be in line to see it.

July 30, 2006

I can remember the summers when I was little. The roughly three months between one school year and the next meant I could do anything I wanted, or nothing. My best friend and I usually did a little of both.

But as the months turned to weeks and then days, we tried to cram as much as we could into the little time we had left. The thought that soon, our vacation would be over and it would be school "full time" until Christmas break was a sobering one. It was as if life would stop soon, and then it would be school and homework and we wouldn't be able to come up for air until the next time we had a school holiday.

Of course now it's truer than ever, but I try to make the most of my weekends these days. And by "make the most" I mean to do as little as possible.

That's not entirely true I guess, but it's close to the truth.

It's Sunday and I have a ton of work in front of me this week. Some of which I should have prepared for this weekend. There's some reading I need to do, some breakdowns I need to make and it would sure make an easier Monday if I hadn't spent most of my weekend relaxing doing nothing.

Of course this means that today and tonight will be spent, trying to cram as much as I possibly can to make sure tomorrow isn't as crazy as it could be. But I'm sure somewhere in there I'll also try to find a little bit of time to figure out if I'm taking a real vacation this year, or just a couple of long weekends.

In a very convoluted way I ended up in Europe last year and, with the exception of a nasty spill in Paris, had a great time.

And while I know you can't repeat the past, I'm thinking about London again, and one other city, but haven't decided on which city yet.

Or maybe a couple of long weekends closer to home. There are parts of the United States I still haven't seen, and a vacation at "home" might be a good idea. And I've always wanted to go back to the south, but I hear some parts of it are still in poor shape after Katrina.

So it'll be work today and tonight, a little reading, a little scheduling, and maybe I'll fit in a little contemplating and a little relaxing. After all, it's still summer.

July 29, 2006

I have vivid memories, as a kid, of going out for Sunday drives with my mom and dad. It was pretty much a tradition. Whether it be up the coast a little, out into the mountains, or further out still, into the desert. I remember sitting in the back of the station wagon as we saw just how beautiful Southern California really is.

And just as much an institution as those Sunday drives was the radio. Only AM in those days, and on Sunday's it was always American Top 40 with Casey Kasem.

With his "long distance dedications" and history of music and song, it was a great way to fill in any gaps we had in conversation on those long rides.

While I was completely into the music at the time, I think my parents had it on more for background as they pointed out things to see. Sometimes we would reach a location to check out on foot, before reaching the number one song and I would get frustrated enough to want to stay in the car for at least a few more songs.

I wonder if families still do Sunday drives? With gasoline topping $3.00 a gallon, I can't imagine many do. But it would be nice to think there were still some family explorers out there. Driving SUV's I guess, and listening to ... well, I'm not quite sure, CD's I would imagine. Casey left American Top 40 some time back and while I have nothing against Ryan Seacrest, it just isn't the same.

Maybe I'll start saving some change for a while, then at the end of summer do my own Sunday drive. I hear you can buy CD's of Casey's AT40 selections for a select number of decades.

July 28, 2006

I had a fun conversation with a buddy last week. Well, I thought it was a fun conversation anyway.

Anyone who has read more than one post on my blog knows I'm a bit of a geek. From Star Trek, to Star Wars to a whole bunch of stuff in between, I love it all.

For whatever reason, we got on the subject of which movie in the Star Wars franchise was our favorite. We both came up with The Empire Strikes Back, or TESB. I write TESB because a current trend seems to abbreviate that film as ESB.

And to show you how much of a geek I truly am. It's really TESB; THE Empire Strikes Back. And the reason I know this is because when I was younger...much much younger, I was lucky enough to have some dealings with Lucasfilm Ltd., (on a purely fan level) and they couldn't stress enough that the title of their movie should always be referred to with THE at the beginning.

Anyway, long story which, oddly enough, isn't the point of this blog.

During that same conversation, the whole Star Trek franchise came up as well. I asked my friend which of the many incarnations of Star Trek on television was his favorite. And he said, without missing a beat, Deep Space Nine.

I nearly did a spit take as I asked him to repeat what he had said. And I had heard him correctly. His favorite of all the Trek television shows was Deep Space Nine. His reasoning was that the show was very adult in nature, dealt with family and other aspects that made the series a lot more pertinent to current affairs and every day life.

Unfortunately I can't really argue with him on that point. The truth is, I only watched about half the episodes in the first season and that was enough for me. My friend insists the series got better. I guess I'll take his word for it.

But for me, it was classic Star Trek. And while I never saw the show in its first run, I do remember being glued to the TV when it did run. Whether it be late at night, or right after school. I tried never to miss an episode.

And it wasn't until years later that I realized why I liked it so much. Here was the world, in the 23rd century. We had cured diseases, for the most part war, and so many social issues. But Star Trek never lost sight of the fact that we were all still human. With anger, love and emotions that could get the better of us.

Where other science fiction stories dealt with the future in an almost antiseptic way, showing that humanity had risen above itself to live in a more disciplined world, Star Trek showed us that while technology and human understanding can increase by leaps and bounds, at heart, we're all still human, driven by human nature. I still love the series for that very reason.

So word is that Paramount will create a new feature version of the original Trek. The story, as I understand it, will take place long before all the other versions, when Kirk and Spock are at Starfleet Academy.

And my buddy just forwarded me a poster design he spotted on the net. Besides getting goosebumpy at the image of the original Command insignia used on Star Trek, my friend pointed out something I had completely missed.

The background colors of the poster feature the yellow tunic color of Kirk and the blue tunic color of Spock (Command and Sciences colors respectively).

It's always tricky when you go back to the well. But this time they may have it right. Or at least I hope they do. With fan friendly J.J. Abrams at the helm I hope he can deliver.

And while the rumor mill talks of Matt Damon playing James Tiberius Kirk, I think the role of Mr. Spock will be the really difficult one to cast.

My hat's off to the production, and I wish them well. Because heaven knows if they don't deliver, they'll surely hear about it.

July 27, 2006

I love Magical Realism. You know, the genre of writing where things that aren't real are accepted as fact; the supernatural becomes natural. A good example of Magical Realism is Like Water For Chocolate. In that film, the emotions of the cook would transfer to the food, and the people would be affected by it. So if the cook was sad, sadness would overtake those who consumed the meal.

That's a hideously basic explanation, and not a very good one, but suffice to say, I enjoy that style of writing.

I like the thought that things are going on in the world that we may not be aware, that some people have an insight that we, as the general populace, take no notice of. And I love it even more when a group of these people get together and see the world with a clarity we don't even know exists.

You can say Lady In The Water uses Magical Realism. And I wish it had been a better film. The set up was a little weak, the story; not bad, the execution? Well, not so good sadly.

Douglas Aibel does an outstanding job of bringing together a wonderfully eclectic mix of actors to the project. With a great cast headlined by the always terrific Paul Giamatti, the film features some nice performances by Bryce Dallas Howard, Bob Balaban, Sarita Choudhury and Freddie Rodriquez. With this group you would think the film would be better. But it's not.

The story revolves around a woman found in the swimming pool of an apartment complex in Pennsylvania. We come to discover that she is a nymph of sorts, as told in Asian bedtime stories. Her appearance will set the stage for a new rebirth of the world. Basically putting the world back on track.

Tenants of the complex are each unique in their "outcast" sort of way. The set up here isn't bad. We know these people will come into their own, that their quirkiness will be what triumphs in the end.

But we don't get to know enough about the cast of characters to really care about them one way or the other. So what should be an uplifting feeling that each delivers according to their talents just comes off as a gimmick to bring the movie to its conclusion.

And while I don't think M. Night Shyamalan is a terrible actor, there are others who are better. His decision to include himself in a key role comes across more as an egotistical decision, than one to better the film.

I wanted to like this movie, but I didn't. Of all Shyamalan's films, this is the weakest. An apparent attempt to make a film with more comedy than his past ventures, doesn't come off as particularly funny at all. Just awkward. And we all saw the ending coming from miles away.

Maybe this would have made a better book, or still, a good bedtime story. I know it was enough to put me to sleep.

July 26, 2006

It's starting to cool down a bit. Which shouldn't be confused with it being cool. It's just not excruciatingly hot anymore. Now it's just bordering on unbearable.

If I had a choice between being warm (or as the case may be these last few days, HOT) or cold, I'll always choose cold. The way I see it, I can always put on a jacket or crawl under the covers to get warm.

But options for cooling off aren't as plentiful. However, if there is one thing I enjoy about hot days, and there really is only one thing. Then it's the warm evenings.

I was driving yesterday during magic hour, you know, the time of day when the sun sets just enough so that everything is caressed in an almost otherworldly golden glow. It's a great time for movie directors because the lighting is so special it makes great looking people look amazing, and not so great looking people look ... well, great.

The drive reminded me of a visit to Malibu some years earlier. I was with friends, we were young and it was summer. No school, no work, no worries. We tooled around not doing much of anything, just enjoying the leisurely life.

Where did that time go? When did work take over everything? Where's my summer vacation? Has it really been so long now?

The answers, of course, are obvious. We grew up. We all have responsibilities, we don't get three months off in the summer anymore between school years. And finally, yes, it's been many years since the Malibu visit.

But on a warm day, when the breeze is starting to kick up, the sun is just setting and the inside of my car is bathed in that magic glow, I can remember the beach, the carefree adventures of my youth, and I can remember my friends.

July 25, 2006

I've always been someone who "thinks too much." That's what I've been told anyway. And I guess it's probably true. I tend to analyze things that don't need analyzing. I tend to look for the inner meaning in matters that have none. And I try to read between the lines when someone asks "how are you?" Okay, it hasn't gotten that bad.

The one good thing about "thinking too much," (if you can call it that) is that it affords me the opportunity to reflect on a variety of things. This past week I was reflecting on my friends.

Last week was a really busy week. And through it all, I realized how lucky I am to have the friends I do. People who look out for me from time to time. How cool is that?

I have a sister, but we didn't grow up together, so I have no idea what growing up with a sibling is really like. I read, with a little envy, Erik's blog where he talks about his close relationship with his brothers, and how they not only talk regularly, but do fun things together too.

My idea of siblings is that no matter how bad things get, you're bound by blood, and therefor will watch each others backs. Granted some families have members who don't get along very well, but I can't help but think those are the exceptions to the rule.

So for a few days last week, when life was especially busy, it was great to have people in my life who were looking out for me. I'm lucky to have the family of friends I do. I wouldn't change them for anything.

July 24, 2006

s bWhile it seems to be a phenomena around the country, we're just not used to having this much heat, for this long a period of time.

So Cal has been in a heatwave for a while now with little, or no cooling in sight. This got me to thinking about songs with Heatwave in the title. And, well, here's what I came up with. Oh, and it must have been very hot when Jimmy wrote his song.

July 23, 2006

A long time ago a neighborhood cat left a present for me on the front porch. While I'm sure it was a testament of kitty's love, were it wrapped in newspaper it could very well have been some sort of warning.

Now comes word that a kitty in Pelham, NY is stealing gloves. Yep, gardening gloves. If fact, over the past few weeks this very special kitty has taken in 9 pairs of gloves and five singles from various neighbors. The story goes on to say that the kitty only takes them on the weekend, presumably when people do most of their gardening.

I guess neighbors are taking it in stride as most of them like the little kitty. Apparently, he follows the mailman up and down the block and to the front door of each letter recipient, so they've gotten to know him. (Of course I believe he's caseing the joints, but I may be a little paranoid.)

Kitty's owners have hung the gloves on a low hanging clothes line with a note telling all that their cat is a glove thief, and that if anyones missing gloves are found on the line, to please take them.

I just can't help but wonder what kitty wants with all those gloves. We may never know, but I'm sure there's a reason behind it, and that reason probably has something to do with world domination.